
Latest UPDATE 29th December 2025
The Chint Solar project is planned for land near Rose Cottage off Station Road, Thurstaston, close to The Nest café. While the exact postcode is not specified in planning documents, the nearest postcode for this area is CH61 0HL, which covers Station Road and surrounding farmland in Thurstaston.
This site is distinct from Church Farm, and owner Steve Ledsham is not involved.
The land proposed for the 27-hectare solar farm in Thurstaston is owned by Chint Solar, the developer behind the project. The company has submitted the planning application to Wirral Council and is seeking approval to develop the site near Rose Cottage off Station Road. The proposal is for a 35-year temporary use of the land for solar energy generation, after which it would be returned to agricultural use.
Steve Ledsham and Church Farm are not involved in this project.
WIIT: “The company has NOT yet submitted a planning application to Wirral Council, unless this has occurred in the past few days, weeks?”
You’re correct—the full planning application has not been submitted yet. The process is currently at the scoping stage, where Chint Solar is consulting Wirral Council on the required information for a future application. This helps shape what the full proposal will include, particularly regarding environmental and landscape impacts. A decision on the scoping request is expected in early 2026, after which the developer may submit a formal planning application.

The view from Station Road, out across the farmland…


Original Facebook post by Defend Wirral’s Green Spaces. Thank you so much to them for making the public aware of this!
https://www.facebook.com/share/1ET6mNKRPZ/
EVEN IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND NET ZERO, SIGN THE PETITION AT THE LINK BELOW:
https://www.change.org/p/say-no-to-industrial-solar-farms-on-wirral-s-green-belt

Rose Cottage on Google Earth
Below are THREE shipping container-sized solar lithium-ion battery containers. They are planning 40+ of these at the Thurstaston Church Farm Solar industrial complex …

Don’t forget the unusual FIRE and EXPLOSION RISK 
attached to these. If there’s a fault in one cell and it catches fire, the rest ‘come out in sympathy’ and catch fire also. If they race into what’s called “Thermal Runaway”, they can take days and days to extinguish.
That’s days and days of you being stuck in your home with the windows closed in order to avoid the highly toxic fumes that are given off. These include carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), hydrogen chloride (HCl), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), phosphorus pentafluoride (PF₅), phosphoryl fluoride (POF₃), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as methane (CH₄), ethylene (C₂H₄), ethane (C₂H₆), acetylene, formaldehyde, and methanol. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous as it displaces oxygen in the bloodstream, potentially causing fatal poisoning within minutes at high concentrations.
Chint* Solar UK Management Ltd are proposing a 27 Hectare Solar ‘Farm’ on land off Station Road (Rose Cottage) in Thurstaston. The development would comprise Solar PV array (of a height of up to 3.5m), inverters, transformers, on-site substation, temporary construction compound, internal access tracks, security fencing up to 2.5 m high and CCTV cameras.
The site is located within the Green Belt, an Area of Special Landscape Value and Nature Improvement Area. Land within the application site is highly likely to be functionally-linked to internationally designated sites, including the nearby Dee Estuary SPA and Ramsar sites. The proposals have the potential to result in the long-term loss of a sizeable area of functionally-linked land. The site is also open and the impact on the landscape over a substantial area, and nearby heritage assets, would be significant
The site has the potential for prehistoric and medieval archaeological remains. Should any such remains be present they would be considered to be regionally important.
A Planning Application has not yet been submitted but Wirral Council Planning Department have received a “Screening Request” for an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). As the proposals are likely to give rise to significant environmental effects from an EIA perspective, the Council have decided that an EIA is, therefore, required.
Further details can be found on the Council Planning Portal ref: SCR/25/01041
https://www.chintsolar.com/uk/
*The word “chint” originates from the Hindi word “छींट” (chīṁṭ), meaning “spotted,” “variegated,” “speckled,” or “sprayed”. It is the root of the English word “chintz,” which refers to a cotton fabric printed with bright, floral patterns, typically on a light background. The term “chintz” was first used in English to describe Indian calico textiles produced in Golconda (present-day Hyderabad) from the 16th century onward. Over time, the word “chintzy” evolved in English to describe something cheap, low-quality, gaudy, or tasteless, often used to criticize overly ornate or vulgar designs.
Chint is a Chinese company. It was founded in 1984 by Nan Cunhui in Yueqing, Zhejiang, China, initially as the Yueqing Switch Factory. The company, officially known as CHINT Group Co., Ltd., is a Chinese holding company focused on low-voltage electrical appliances and photovoltaic products. While Chint has established manufacturing bases and R&D centers in various countries, including Germany, Malaysia, and others, its headquarters remain in China. The company’s electrical appliance subsidiary, Chint Electric, is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
THIS SOLAR INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATION (not ‘farm’) IS THE EQUIVALENT TO 38 FOOTBALL PITCHES

A very relevant Wirral Globe article from 2024:
https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/24249200.no-space-onshore-wind-solar-power-farms-wirral/
There’s streams of palpable nonsense trotted out in this article, but it’s not all Net Zero, carbon footprint doom and gloom. Here’s a useful excerpt that we can readily pick up and work with:

What does AI say about Chint Solar UK Management?
CHINT SOLAR UK MANAGEMENT LTD is a private limited company incorporated on 10 March 2023, with its registered office located at 6th Floor, 25 Farringdon Street, London, United Kingdom, EC4A 4AB. The company is currently active and operates within the electricity production sector, classified under SIC code 35110 – Production of electricity. It is registered as a small company for accounting purposes. The company’s next accounts are due by 30 September 2025, with the accounts last made up to 31 December 2023. The next confirmation statement is due by 23 March 2025. The company is part of the Chint Group, with Chint Solar being the European development arm responsible for over 30 operational solar projects across Europe, totaling approximately 1 GW in cumulative capacity. Chint Solar has recently entered the UK market through a joint venture with Voltis, named Voltison, to develop a portfolio of around 5 GW of renewable energy and storage projects in the UK.
Companies House entry:
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14721949

Figure 1 and Plate 1 from the Screening Report:
Figure 1 illustrates the location of the Site. The Site is located in Merseyside, entirely within the Wirral Council administrative area. The Site is situated approximately 180 m west of the village of Thurstaston, and approximately 270 m south-east of the southern extents of the village of Caldy. Major roads near the Site include the A540, situated about 480 m to the east, and the M53, approximately 4.2 km to the east.
Covering around 27 hectares, the Site comprises agricultural land with four arable and pastoral fields of varying shapes and sizes, all defined by hedgerows. An access road cuts through the Site, connecting to Station Road to the east. Two of the fields lie to the north of the access road and two to the south. The northernmost field contains a small pond surrounded by trees. The Site is centred at Ordnance Survey (OS) Grid Reference SJ 23972 84154.
In April 2025, SLR Consulting was commissioned by Chint Solar UK Management Ltd to prepare a Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment (HEDBA) in relation to a proposed development at land north of Station Road, Thurstaston, The Wirral, (NGR SJ 23955 84208) (hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’; Plate 1).


What does the Brave Browser AI chatbot say about the ownership of this farmland in Thurstaston?
WIIT: “When did Chint Solar UK Management buy farmland in Thurstaston, Wirral?” (See 29th December 2025 update, above)
There is no information in the provided context indicating that Chint Solar UK Management bought farmland in Thurstaston, Wirral. Instead, Chint Solar has submitted an application to Wirral Council for permission to develop a solar farm on 27 hectares of farmland in Thurstaston, which is located on the Wirral Peninsula and overlooks the Dee estuary and Wales. The application is for a temporary use of the land for 35 years, after which it would be returned to farming. The company is described as a leading European player in solar park development and is committed to contributing to the energy transition. No purchase of the farmland has been reported.
“Who owns this particular area of farmland?” (See 29th December 2025 update, above)
The specific owner of the farmland in Thurstaston, Wirral, where Chint Solar has proposed a solar farm, is not mentioned in the available information. The reports confirm that Chint Solar has submitted a planning application to use 27 hectares of farmland for a temporary 35-year solar project, after which the land would be returned to agricultural use. However, the current landowner has not been disclosed in the sources.
“Given the likely prospect of the release of large amounts of toxic chemicals into the area, will the farmland be damaged during the ‘temporary’ 35-year period when assigned to the purposes of this industrial solar installation?”
Based on the available information, there is no evidence that large amounts of toxic chemicals will be released from the proposed Chint Solar farm in Thurstaston, Wirral. Solar panels are generally considered low-risk for soil or water contamination when properly installed and maintained. However, concerns have been raised about broader environmental impacts, such as soil compaction from construction equipment, reduced sunlight affecting plant growth, altered drainage, and long-term land rehabilitation.
While the land is intended to be returned to farming after 35 years, studies indicate that prolonged shading and infrastructure use can reduce soil fertility, organic matter, and biodiversity. Wirral Council has determined that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required, which will evaluate these risks in detail before any decision is made.
Contact your local Councillors:
Councillor Jeff Green, Conservative, who serves as the Leader of the Conservative Group and Vice-Chair of the Pensions Committee.
Correspondence address:
181 Irby Road, Irby, Wirral CH61 2XE
Phone: 0151 648 5913
Mobile: 07766 725 125
Email: jeffgreen@wirral.gov.uk
Councillor Jennifer Johnson, Conservative, who chairs the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Correspondence address:
c/o Wallasey Town Hall
Brighton Street
Wallasey
Wirral
CH44 8ED
Mobile: 07775 847988
Email: jennyjohnson2@wirral.gov.uk
Councillor Simon Richard Mountney, Conservative.
Correspondence address:
c/o Wallasey Town Hall
Brighton Street
Wallasey
Wirral
CH44 8ED
Mobile: 07752 402758
Email: simonmountney@wirral.gov.uk
Join the Wirral Residents Association in order to fight what could amount to the permanent destruction of vast tracts of our much treasured, beautiful green belt land.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1565624451440104
www.wirralresidentsassociation.co.uk
Email: wirralresidentsassociation@proton.me
Screening request document:
Scoping reply:

And here are the late arrivals:
1.
2. https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/25618583.new-solar-farm-planned-thurstaston/
3. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/major-new-solar-farm-one-32863373

Return to Bomb Alley 1982 – The Falklands Deception, by Paul Cardin
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John Brace left an annotation ()
Yes I’m following this one by email as of yesterday, as I have more info on it already. Next time I see Surjit Tour I’ll remind him.